The Real Jack O'Neill
by Mickey3
Summary: Jack walked slowly around the lab. Daniel was gone. Not dead, but not alive either.


**The Real Jack O'Neill  
Mickey**

STATUS: Completed 9-26-05

SEASON: 5 Right after Meridian

SPOILERS: Menace, Meridian

WORD COUNT: 878

AUTHORS NOTE: Written for the Jackfic drabble challenge "Write the letters of the alphabet down the side of your page and describe Jack using each of these letters." I got the idea from Lynette to do it as a drabble and it took on a life of it's own from there. I've been thinking about this one since Cokie posted it. Hope you like it. Thanks to my beta's Cokie and Cyn.

* * *

Jack stared at the bed were Daniel had lain just twenty-four hours ago.

"Daniel asked me to give this to you, sir." Doctor Frasier handed the colonel a folded piece of paper. "He wrote it before he left for Kelowna. I think he was trying to find a good time to give it to you."

Jack took the note without remark. He just gave her that small, sad smile and walked out of the infirmary.

* * *

Jack walked slowly around the lab. Daniel was gone. Not dead, but not alive either.

He picked things up and put them down absent-mindedly. Not interested in the items themselves, just trying to find a piece of his friend. Jack wanted, _needed_, to see those things the way Daniel did - to see what was fascinating - to see the wonder in the historic as well as archaeological value. To find that connectivity to a friend that was lost.

He picked up yet another object then placed it back on the crowded table. Then he pulled the paper Janet had given him out of his pocket.

Jack read and reread the paper in disbelief.

THE REAL JACK O'NEILL

Aggravating - They're _artifacts_, not rocks!

Brilliant - Sorry, but nobody buys your dumb colonel act, Jack.

Childlike - Don't ever loose that quality. It's too rare in adults.

Defensive - OK, here you could stand to loosen up just a little. Let someone take care of _you_ for once you pigheaded Irish fool.

Effective - You always manage to get the job done.

Fighter - You never give up.

Gentle - Don't make that face! I've seen you with Cassie.

Hardheaded - At times I swear if I look up stubborn in the dictionary I'll find a picture of you.

Introspective - Sometimes I wonder what you're thinking when you get so quiet.

Jackass - You _had_ to see that one coming.

Kyrie - The Latin prayer you occasionally mumble in you sleep, mostly after a mission that went horribly wrong. I thought you didn't believe in God anymore.

Ladarna – Don't give me that 'I have no clue what you're talking about' look, Jack. I _know_ you know what it means. Sometimes you speak Gaelic in your sleep. It's rare, but I've caught you a few times. I also seem to recall you telling me your grandmother made you learn it. Something about how 'she was going to make a good Irish boy out of you yet'.

Malcontent - Two words, Senator Kinsey. 'Nuff said.

No one gets left behind - The Special Forces motto, personified in you.

Obstinate – You can be a bit narrow-minded at times.

Paternal - I haven't met a kid yet who _wasn't_ drawn to you. You have a way with them. Young adults too.

Quaint - You're not exactly a typical Air Force officer.

Resolute - You are probably the most determined men I have ever met. You bring new meaning to the phrase 'never say die'.

Self-deprecating - You don't give yourself near enough credit and blame yourself for too many things that aren't your fault.

Trustworthy - I trust you with my life. Ever since the mission to Abydos. Until the day I die.

Unify - That's what you did for SG-1.

Vocal - Not afraid to speak your mind are you? I've always admired that about you. It's one thing we have in common.

Wary - It's because of you that SG-1 has survived all the things we have. You keep us (OK, mostly me) inline when we go off half-cocked.

X - Roman numeral for Ten. Which is the age you act at times.

Yammer - You know you do when dealing with annoying Scientists or vindictive Senators.

Zealous - When gaining technology and information to defend your people and Earth.

In short, one of the finest men I have ever had the honor of calling my friend. I never meant to hurt you. I didn't mean what I said. You're not stupid, nor are you a son of a bitch. I'm sorry Jack.

Daniel

Jack smiled as he folded the paper and put it in his pocket as he whispered, "So am I, Daniel." Somehow, he knew his friend could hear him. "So am I."

He looked around the office once more. An unexplainable peace settled within him. Daniel may be gone, but the friendship he'd built with the younger man was as strong as ever. Daniel's legacy would live on through Jack, Sam, Teal'c and all the other lives he had touched.

_THE END_

For those of you wondering why I chose some of these words here are the definitions I based my decisions on.

**Defensive:** serving to defend or protect

**Kyrie:** a short liturgical prayer that begins with or consists of the words "Lord, have mercy"

**Ladarna: **(Gaelic)bold, impudent, shameless

**Malcontent: **one who is in active opposition to an established order or government

**Quaint:** unusual or different in character or appearance

**Resolute:** marked by firm determination

**(Self-)deprecating: **to express disapproval of, make little of

**Unify:** to make into a unit or a coherent whole

**Vocal: **given to expressing oneself freely or insistently

**Wary:** marked by keen caution, cunning, and watchful prudence especially in detecting and escaping danger

**Yammer:** to utter persistent complaints


End file.
